Refrigerant emissions are measured in several different ways: physical refrigerant mass, carbon-dioxide equivalent, equipment leakage, supply, consumption, and atmospheric releases. The figures below keep those measures separate while covering global cooling, U.S. RACHP equipment, European F-gases, and field studies in California and Guangzhou.
Key Refrigerant Emission Statistics
The most useful headline figures are:
- 29.7% of cooling-sector greenhouse-gas emissions were attributed to refrigerant leakage in the UNEP global synthesis estimate.
- 30.7% of global space-cooling greenhouse-gas emissions were attributed to refrigerant leakage in the UNEP synthesis estimate.
- 27.4% of global refrigeration greenhouse-gas emissions were attributed to refrigerant leakage in the UNEP synthesis estimate.
- 420 million tonnes of CO2e were estimated for global mobile-air-conditioning emissions in 2015.
- About 30% of global mobile-air-conditioning emissions in 2015 were attributed to refrigerant leakage.
- 853,200 metric tonnes of HFC refrigerant were projected to be contained in U.S. RACHP equipment in 2025.
- 71,500 metric tonnes of refrigerant leaks were projected from U.S. RACHP equipment in 2025.
- 8.4% was the projected aggregate average leak rate for modeled U.S. RACHP stock in 2025.
- 35,400 tonnes of leaks from 338,600 tonnes of stock were projected for U.S. unitary air-conditioning and heat-pump equipment below 5 pounds in 2025.
- 2.3% of total EU greenhouse-gas emissions came from F-gases in 2019.
- EU-27 plus UK F-gas emissions were 13% below their 2014 peak in 2019.
- EU HFC consumption was 7% higher in 2020 than in 2019.
- 1.78% of factory charge per year was the estimated leak rate for Bay Area residential central HVAC units.
- The top 1% of residential leaks produced 80% of total CO2e leakage emissions in the Bay Area field-study distribution.
- HFC-134a emissions were 1.27 +/- 0.11 mg/km/vehicle for operating mobile air conditioners measured in Guangzhou in 2014.
- Reclaimed HFCs were 3% of total EU HFC supply in 2020.
Contents
- Global cooling-sector refrigerant emission statistics
- U.S. RACHP leak emissions by equipment category
- EU F-gas and HFC emission trends
- Residential and mobile air-conditioner leakage measurements
- Refrigerant emissions by gas, charge, and source
- Recovery, reclamation, and policy-linked outcomes
Global Cooling-Sector Refrigerant Emission Statistics
The UNEP Cooling Emissions and Policy Synthesis Report estimates that refrigerant leakage accounts for 29.7% of greenhouse-gas emissions attributed to cooling services worldwide. Within that synthesis, leakage represents 30.7% of emissions from global space cooling and 27.4% from global refrigeration; these are estimates of the cooling sector’s emissions, distinct from energy-related carbon dioxide.
| Global cooling measure | Period or scope | Reported result |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling services | Global estimate | 29.7% from leakage |
| Space cooling | Global estimate | 30.7% from leakage |
| Refrigeration | Global estimate | 27.4% from leakage |
| Mobile air conditioning | 2015 | 420 Mt CO2e total emissions |
| Mobile air conditioning | 2015 | About 30% attributed to leakage |
Source: Cooling Emissions and Policy Synthesis Report: Benefits of cooling efficiency and the Kigali Amendment. The global shares are synthesis estimates, and the 2015 mobile-air-conditioning total is not leakage alone.
The same UNEP report gives use-phase estimates for vehicle classes. Smaller vehicles were reported to leak 30–83 grams per vehicle-year, trucks 60–100 grams, and buses as much as 2.4 kilograms per vehicle-year.
A 2007 UK air-conditioning study reported annual refrigerant leakage between 4% and 22% of charge per year. That range is historical and sector-specific, so it should not be treated as a current global rate.
U.S. RACHP Leak Emissions by Equipment Category
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 ER&R Rule Regulatory Impact Analysis Addendum uses Vintaging Model projections for 2025. It projects 853,200 metric tonnes of HFC refrigerant in U.S. refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat-pump equipment, with about 71,500 metric tonnes emitted through leaks and an aggregate average leak rate of 8.4%.
| U.S. equipment scope | Refrigerant stock | Projected 2025 leaks |
|---|---|---|
| All modeled equipment below 5 lb | 498,200 tonnes | 42,900 tonnes |
| All modeled equipment 5–15 lb | 42,600 tonnes | 4,500 tonnes |
| All modeled equipment above 15 lb | 312,400 tonnes | 24,100 tonnes |
| Total modeled U.S. RACHP stock | 853,200 tonnes | 71,500 tonnes |
Source: 2024 ER&R Rule Regulatory Impact Analysis Addendum. These are 2025 projections, and the cited table excludes disposal loss and uses the stated HFC/substitute scope.
The below-5-pound subtotal includes 83,200 tonnes of motor-vehicle air-conditioning stock and 7,100 tonnes of projected leaks. Unitary air conditioners and heat pumps in that charge band account for 338,600 tonnes of stock and 35,400 tonnes of leaks, while small appliances account for 76,400 tonnes of stock and 400 tonnes of leaks.
For equipment charged with 5–15 pounds, refrigerated transport contains 5,500 tonnes of stock and has 1,700 tonnes of projected leaks; commercial refrigeration contains 7,600 tonnes and has 400 tonnes of leaks; and unitary air conditioning and heat pumps contain 27,900 tonnes and have 2,200 tonnes of leaks.
Above 15 pounds, chillers contain 157,200 tonnes of stock and have 2,100 tonnes of projected leaks. Industrial-process refrigeration contains 77,100 tonnes and has 5,500 tonnes of leaks, commercial refrigeration contains 69,000 tonnes and has 14,600 tonnes of leaks, and refrigerated transport contains 4,900 tonnes and has 1,600 tonnes of leaks.
EU F-Gas and HFC Emission Trends
The European Environment Agency reported that F-gases represented 2.3% of total EU greenhouse-gas emissions in 2019. EU-27 plus UK F-gas emissions were 13% lower in 2019 than at their 2014 peak, while supply and consumption measures showed different movements.
| EU measure | Period | Reported change or share |
|---|---|---|
| F-gas share of total greenhouse gases | 2019 | 2.3% |
| F-gas emissions versus 2014 peak | 2019 | 13% lower |
| HFC consumption | 2020 vs. 2019 | 7% higher |
| HFC consumption versus Kigali limit | 2020 | 52% below limit |
| HFC placing on market versus quota limit | 2020 | 4% below limit |
| Physical F-gas supply | 2020 vs. 2019 | 1% higher |
| GWP-weighted F-gas supply | 2020 vs. 2019 | Almost 3% higher |
Source: Fluorinated greenhouse gases 2021. Consumption, placing on the market, and supply are regulatory or market-flow measures, not direct equipment-emission measurements.
The EEA also reported that EU HFC supply increased 3% by mass and 2% in CO2e terms in 2020 compared with 2019. Low-GWP unsaturated HFCs and HCFCs made up about 30% of EU HFC supply around 2020, while HFCs represented 77% of EU F-gas imports by mass.
The HFC quota reserve equaled about seven times the refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat-pump equipment imported in 2020, and it equaled 111% of the EU’s 2021 maximum HFC quantity. These are quota-authorization metrics rather than measured atmospheric emissions.
Residential and Mobile Air-Conditioner Leakage Measurements
A peer-reviewed study of residential central HVAC units in California’s San Francisco Bay Area estimated annual leakage at 1.78% of factory charge, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.83%–2.73%. Among 126 leaking residential air conditioners observed at service, the average leaked charge was 30% of factory charge.
The study estimated that about 3.2% of installed Bay Area residential central HVAC units leaked enough in a year to trigger a service call, with a 95% confidence interval of 2.0%–4.8%. Its long-tailed distribution found that the top 1% of residential leaks accounted for 80% of total CO2e leakage emissions.
| Bay Area residential HVAC measure | Study result |
|---|---|
| Estimated annual leakage | 1.78% of factory charge |
| Average charge leaked among 126 service-call units | 30% |
| Units reaching service-call leakage annually | About 3.2% |
| Top 1% share of CO2e leakage emissions | 80% |
| Complete indoor charge loss | About 0.02% of homes annually |
Source: Residential San Francisco Bay area air conditioners leak less refrigerant than expected. Complete indoor charge loss was estimated at roughly 1 in 5,000 homes, or 0.02% annually, and does not represent all emissions.
Within the study sample, the median per-event leak fraction was 25.5% for R-22 units and 17.8% for R-410A units. The regression slope relating per-event leak fraction to unit age was 0.12 percentage points per year, but the study reported no detectable relationship: r2=0.001 and p=0.70.
A separate 2014 tunnel-measurement study in Guangzhou reported mobile-air-conditioning emission factors of 1.27 +/- 0.11 mg/km/vehicle for HFC-134a, 0.47 +/- 0.04 for HCFC-22, and 0.17 +/- 0.04 for CFC-12.
Refrigerant Emissions by Gas, Charge, and Leak Source
Gas identity changes how a physical leak is represented, because a mass rate and a CO2e rate are different measures. The Guangzhou measurements illustrate this distinction by reporting gas-specific operating emission factors rather than combining the gases into one total.
| Refrigerant gas | Guangzhou 2014 emission factor | Normalized rate |
|---|---|---|
| HFC-134a | 1.27 +/- 0.11 mg/km/vehicle | 52.2 mg/hour/vehicle |
| HCFC-22 | 0.47 +/- 0.04 mg/km/vehicle | 329 mg/hour/vehicle |
| CFC-12 | 0.17 +/- 0.04 mg/km/vehicle | 59.5 mg/hour/vehicle |
Source: Leakage Rates of Refrigerants CFC-12, HCFC-22, and HFC-134a from Operating Mobile Air Conditioning Systems in Guangzhou, China. The normalized rates depend on fleet refrigerant shares and describe operating mobile air conditioning in Guangzhou.
The U.S. projections show another useful distinction: charge size and equipment type are reported together. Below-5-pound equipment contains the largest modeled stock subtotal at 498,200 tonnes, while above-15-pound equipment has 312,400 tonnes of stock and 24,100 tonnes of projected leaks; these subtotals should be read as modeled categories, not universal leak rates for every device.
The dataset also distinguishes RACHP leakage from other fluorinated-gas sources. UNEP HFC-23 figures concern generated by-product emissions, not refrigerant leakage from refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat-pump equipment, so they are outside the equipment comparisons here.
Refrigerant Recovery, Reclamation, and Policy-Linked Outcomes
European recovery statistics describe material flows after refrigerant is collected and reclaimed. The EEA reported that reclaimed F-gas volume increased about 6% in 2020 compared with 2019, while reclaimed F-gas GWP decreased 9%.
| EU reclamation measure | Period | Reported result |
|---|---|---|
| Reclaimed F-gas volume | 2020 vs. 2019 | About 6% higher |
| Reclaimed F-gas GWP | 2020 vs. 2019 | 9% lower |
| Reclaimed HFCs by tonnes | 2020 vs. 2019 | 8% higher |
| Reclaimed HFCs by GWP | 2020 vs. 2019 | 1% lower |
| Reclaimed HFCs versus virgin-HFC production | 2020 | 11% |
| Reclaimed HFCs versus total HFC supply | 2020 | 3% |
| HFC share of reclaimed F-gas amount | 2020 | 97% |
Source: Fluorinated greenhouse gases 2021. Reclamation flows do not measure all installed equipment or prove that a particular recovered quantity avoided an atmospheric emission.
The EEA’s HFC-specific figures show why mass and climate-weighted measures should remain separate: reclaimed HFCs rose 8% in tonnes but fell 1% in GWP-weighted terms from 2019 to 2020. In 2020, reclaimed HFCs equaled 11% of EU virgin-HFC production and 3% of total EU HFC supply, while HFCs made up 97% of reclaimed EU F-gas amounts.
These policy-linked outcomes sit alongside the EU’s consumption and quota measures rather than replacing them. The available figures support comparisons of reported supply, production, reclamation, and modeled leakage, but they do not provide one universal conversion from recovery activity to avoided emissions.